Ricoh, the company behind the Pentax brand, has introduced its newest D-SLR, which occupies a space in its lineup above the well-regarded K-5 II.

If the 24-megapixel K-3 camera performs as well as it looks on paper, it promises to be the most refined D-SLR that Pentax has released to date. Like other cameras in the Pentax lineup, it features full weather sealing, a 100 percent pentaprism viewfinder, and in-camera shake reduction—so any lens that you attach is stabilized.

Like the K-5 IIs the K-3 omits the anti-aliasing filter, also referred to as the optical low-pass filter (OLPF). This enhances the absolute sharpness of images, but does introduce the possibility of color moiré effects from popping up in images. In order to combat moiré, the camera can be set to slightly move the image sensor during image capture, simulating the effect of an OLPF. It's an innovative approach that eliminates the necessity to market two models of the camera, as the company did with the K-5 II and K-5 IIs.

Burst capture is possible at up to 8.3 frames per second; it can capture 22 Raw images or 60 JPGs at that pace before the buffer fills. The autofocus system has also been redesigned. The SAFOX 11 system features 27 autofocus points and can operate in light ranging from -3 EV to +18 EV. The metering sensor, part of the Real-Time Scene Analysis System, is an 86k-pixel RGB design, which promises to improve metering, white balance, and autofocus performance.

Video recording, long a weak point of the Pentax system, has been improved. The K-3 captures footage at up to 1080i60/1080p30 and saves them using H.264 compression. It's also capable of 1080p24 capture for a cinematic look, and can output smooth 720p60 footage. There's also an interval recording mode that can be used to create time-lapse videos—it outputs footage at 4K resolution. There's no word on how autofocus works in conjunction with video recording, and we've not yet had hands-on time with the camera, but will be taking a close look when it comes in for review.

The optical viewfinder is a pentaprism design with 100 percent frame coverage. Its magnification has been improved to 0.95x, a slight bump over the 0.92x finder found in current models. The rear display is a 3.2-inch LCD with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 1,037k-dot resolution. It's a fixed design, and like the K-5 II it features gapless construction that places the panel flush against its protective glass cover. The shutter can fire as quickly as 1/8,000-second, and the shake reduction system performance has been improved by one stop; it now provides 4 stops of stabilization.

There are other refinements to the body. It boasts dual SD card slots, just like in the medium format Pentax 645D SLR, and the mode dial can be locked or unlocked via a push-button control. It's only the second D-SLR we've seen with a USB 3.0 interface (the first being the full-frame Nikon D800), and the in-camera HDR mode works off the Raw sensor data.

There's no Wi-Fi in the K-3, but Pentax has added support for a Flucard Pro Wi-Fi SD cards. A special Pentax edition 16GB card will not only allow you to transfer images from the K-3 to your smartphone, but it also supports remote control of the camera via a Web browser. Remote functions include a streaming Live View image, autofocus point adjustment, and shutter release.

The K-3 is priced at $1,299.95 as a body only, or at $1,699.95 with the weather-sealed DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 WR lens. The camera features a traditional black design, but it will also be available as a limited edition with a silver finish to match the company's new HD Limited lenses. That will be limited to 2,000 units and is set to sell at $1,599.95. You'll get a special silver version of the D-GB5 vertical battery grip and a limited-edition leather strap for the extra money. The standard version and the limited-edition body will go on sale in November.

There's also a new lens to go with the K-3 and other Pentax SLRs. The HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED WR is a weather-sealed telezoom that boasts the latest HD coating technology. It's going to go on sale in November for $449.95.

There's no pricing available for the Pentax FLU SDHC 16GB memory card as of yet, but we do have information on the new battery grip; older Pentax grips won't work with the K-3. The standard black version of the D-GB5 grip is priced at $229.95.

About the Author

Senior digital camera analyst for the PCMag consumer electronics reviews team, Jim Fisher is a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he concentrated on documentary video production. Jim's interest in photography really took off when he borrowed his father's Hasselblad 500C and light meter in 2007. He honed his writing skills at re... See Full Bio

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